Current laparoscopic surgical tools are limited in accessibility of certain regions of the human body. Existing tools can perform invasive surgery without making a substantial incision, but these tools are incapable of bending within the body to reach, for example, the back-side of the human heart.
Additionally, existing tools rely on use of cables to manipulate the surgical tip of the tool. These tools have the disadvantage of requiring extensive sterilization of the internal components. The cleaning of internal metal cables can be a lengthy and expensive process. This process must be repeated prior to each procedure. Alternatively, disposable components may be used with a substantial increase in recurring costs.
In order for a surgeon to perform a surgical procedure on an active organ, such as the heart, current tools require the organ to be arrested. For example, in order to operate on a small portion of the heart, the patient must be placed on an artificial support system while the heart is temporarily stopped for the surgery. This requires additional equipment such as the artificial support system, substantially increasing the cost of the procedure. Also, the recovery period for the patient is substantially increased.